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Re: We need a beast WR

Roger that. So I would say Allen over Rogers, and no one else is on my list based on these criteria, and for the fact that I cannot account for Rogers' attitude. So Allen is the safer pick.

Allen is a superb athlete and plays aggressive. He's not a 1st round talented receiver, but he's a first round athlete. I think his ceiling is pretty high. I feel that he could become a very good weapon opposite Torrey. With Joe throwing to him, he could become every bit as featured as what most of think Torrey will be. He has no baggage that I'm aware of. However, I still wouldn't burn our 32nd on him. However, if he falls (due to his injury) then it would not surprise me if we took him (obviously, assuming he had actually worked out for us prior to the Draft and looked fine). Actually, I suspect that we will sneak him in for a visit.

Rogers has a slightly better WR skill set than Allen (for me it boils down to Rogers's feet > Allen's YAC ability), but there's his history and maturity. I think Rogers (with a good attitude and if he wants to be) could be a dominate player in 3-4 years. However, I wouldn't burn our 32nd on him either unless I was sure about his head and attitude. I don't think that grabbing him at #62 would be that much of a reach; he has the 3rd or 4th best skill-set in this Draft IMO, and is also a top 5 athlete at the position.

Good post. I, too, would squirm just a little bit if we took Keenan Allen with the 32nd pick. I have (like you) come to sweeten on him just a bit as I watched more of his tape, but I still don't really see a first-round receiver skill-set in him. Don't get me wrong, he's got athletic ability in spades, but his technique is way, way outside the 1st round. How is he going to handle being asked to run a full route tree instead of just slants, digs, curls, etc? How is he going to handle getting pressed at the line and having to make catches in traffic and against tight man coverage?

I would not take Keenan Allen over Matt Elam, Alec Ogletree, Tyler Eifert, or DeAndre Hopkins. I have a good feeling one of those 4 players will be there for the Ravens to pull the trigger on. If they don't take Hopkins in the 1st (which is understandable, might be a slight reach, definitely not the "value" pick the Ravens usually prefer in the 1st) I've been pegging Rogers as a 3rd-round target that would likely require a trade up for the Ravens, but his value might be higher than that in the eyes of a lot of teams. There's just too much Julio Jones in him to prevent him for sliding too much. If he's there at #62 I would probably have to bite the bullet and take him.

Re: We need a beast WR

If Keenan Allen fell to us at 32 I would be extremely happy. Perhaps it is because I live on the west coast and most of you don't but reading above it sure doesn't seem like folks have an appreciation of the guy. For three years he's been the focal point of a pretty horrible offense with pretty horrible quarterbacks. Opposing defenses always keyed on him and he always came through. I do believe his stock is down with mockers since he hasn't worked out due to his injury but I have to believe that teams won't let him slide to us. They know his value.

Ogletree? A knucklehead though very athletic. Elam? Tailed off last year-didn't you all notice Teddy Bridgewater and Louisville picking on him? Elam's a 2nd round pick-probably the worst of the bunch here. Eifert is comparable but plays a position of less need so I would pick Allen over him. Hopkins is very comparable-and loses out to Allen. Probably a mid 2nd round pick. Rogers? Doesn't belong in this conversation. Day 2 guy strictly.

Re: We need a beast WR

Originally Posted by Paintballguy

Out of those guys, I would go with Eifert. Then, run 2 TE sets with Pitta and Eifert like the Pats use Gronk and Hernandez.

Yeah, I think this would be a great move. Eifert is not really a guy who is seen as being in play at #32, but with teams like the Bears, Rams, Dolphins, and Falcons all satisfying their immediate TE needs, Eifert could easily slide on draft day.

The Ravens have no TEs under contract after 2013. That qualifies as a BIG need to me, much more so than people are making it out to be, and I think we'll be using less I-formation and more 2TE/H-Back sets, similar to the Patriots as you said.

Hell, the Patriots even ran 3TE sets last year, and the Ravens could do that too. Eifert plays in-line, with Dickson out wide and Pitta in the slot (or vice versa). Torrey goes deep to draw coverage, Eifert and Dickson stretch the seams, and Pitta and Rice run free over the middle... you can also run well out of that set.

Re: We need a beast WR

Rodney Smith of Florida State is the "beastliest" WR in the draft in terms of measurables - he's 6'5",225 lbs, and runs a 4.43. However, I wouldn't draft him in the first 5 or 6 rounds. Brandon Kaufman of Eastern Washington is 6'5", 220 lbs and runs a 4.60, and I would probably take him before Rodney Smith, but once again, that's a late round pick at best. There is a lot more than just looking at height, weight and speed when considering an impact receiver.

Re: We need a beast WR

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

Yeah, I think this would be a great move. Eifert is not really a guy who is seen as being in play at #32, but with teams like the Bears, Rams, Dolphins, and Falcons all satisfying their immediate TE needs, Eifert could easily slide on draft day.

The Ravens have no TEs under contract after 2013. That qualifies as a BIG need to me, much more so than people are making it out to be, and I think we'll be using less I-formation and more 2TE/H-Back sets, similar to the Patriots as you said.

Hell, the Patriots even ran 3TE sets last year, and the Ravens could do that too. Eifert plays in-line, with Dickson out wide and Pitta in the slot (or vice versa). Torrey goes deep to draw coverage, Eifert and Dickson stretch the seams, and Pitta and Rice run free over the middle... you can also run well out of that set.

And after the last time the Ravens won a superbowl, they drafted a pretty good TE at 32.

Re: We need a beast WR

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

Good post. I, too, would squirm just a little bit if we took Keenan Allen with the 32nd pick. I have (like you) come to sweeten on him just a bit as I watched more of his tape, but I still don't really see a first-round receiver skill-set in him. Don't get me wrong, he's got athletic ability in spades, but his technique is way, way outside the 1st round. How is he going to handle being asked to run a full route tree instead of just slants, digs, curls, etc? How is he going to handle getting pressed at the line and having to make catches in traffic and against tight man coverage?

I would not take Keenan Allen over Matt Elam, Alec Ogletree, Tyler Eifert, or DeAndre Hopkins. I have a good feeling one of those 4 players will be there for the Ravens to pull the trigger on. If they don't take Hopkins in the 1st (which is understandable, might be a slight reach, definitely not the "value" pick the Ravens usually prefer in the 1st) I've been pegging Rogers as a 3rd-round target that would likely require a trade up for the Ravens, but his value might be higher than that in the eyes of a lot of teams. There's just too much Julio Jones in him to prevent him for sliding too much. If he's there at #62 I would probably have to bite the bullet and take him.

I've been thinking this same exact thing recently, me and BPR were just talking about how much better he looks as a route runner then we expected. Read somewhere that while he was at UT teams stop pressing him because he was just too strong and easily got off the jam, and we are talking SEC corners.

Re: We need a beast WR

Originally Posted by GOTA

Are you in favor of signing Victor Cruz?

I am not sure the Ravens could afford him but it's a head scratcher to me why other teams with cap space wouldn't make this move. Especially if they are mid round or lower. There is no way they'll get anyone as good in the draft that can come in and play at a high level right away.

Why wouldn't someone like Dolphins, Cinci, Minnesota, Houston or New England go get this guy? It's like an unwritten rule...

Re: We need a beast WR

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

I am not sure the Ravens could afford him but it's a head scratcher to me why other teams with cap space wouldn't make this move. Especially if they are mid round or lower. There is no way they'll get anyone as good in the draft that can come in and play at a high level right away....

Right, but as a restricted free agent with a 1st round tender, a team would have to negotiate a salary (which the Giants would have the right to match), pay Cruz a bigger salary (with probably a bigger cap hit a few years down the line than a first round pick), and lose a first round pick as well.